Toronto's new council takes office with seven new faces and an expiring provincial deal to renegotiate
Seven new councillors join Mayor Olivia Chow when the new term starts November 15. Experts say the council will push back harder on the province while Chow negotiates a second Ontario-Toronto New Deal.
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Toronto's new City Council takes office on November 15, 2026, with seven new faces and a key provincial funding deal set to expire next year.
Mayor Olivia Chow won re-election on October 26 with a record 500,000 votes. Canada's National Observer reported on November 2 on the new council's composition and its expected relationship with the provincial government.
The new councillors include Mike Layton in Ward 11 University-Rosedale, Chiara Padovani in Ward 5 York South-Weston, Diana Chan McNally in Ward 4 Parkdale-High Park, Nate Erskine-Smith in Ward 19 Beaches-East York, and Shaun Chen in Ward 23 Scarborough North. Layton is a former councillor returning to City Hall after a four-year absence.
Myer Siemiatycki, professor emeritus of politics and public administration at Toronto Metropolitan University, told National Observer the new members will support Chow's overall vision. "Especially in the early stages of her four-year term, she's got a lot of momentum behind her to take policy and positions that she thinks are in the best interest of the city, confident that they'll be supported at city council," he said.
The provincial deal
The Ontario-Toronto New Deal, negotiated during Chow's first term, provided about $1.2 billion in provincial operating support and $7.6 billion in capital relief including the provincial takeover of the Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway, according to National Observer. Chow's staff confirmed to National Observer that she is working to negotiate a second deal, as the current one expires next year.
Siemiatycki told National Observer that the expiring deal "makes it a pretty awkward time for her to go in full guns blazing" against the province.
Bike lanes
On October 31, the provincial government finished removing bike lanes on a stretch of Bloor Street in Etobicoke under Bill 212, which is still being challenged in court. Layton told National Observer he planned to look for compromise on remaining lanes, while acknowledging the city is "in a position of relative weakness compared to where Ford sits."
Matt Elliott, a Toronto Star columnist and author of the City Hall Watcher newsletter, told National Observer that Bradford's exit left an "initial power vacuum on the opposition side of council."
What comes next
The first meeting of the new council is November 18, set by section 27-5.1 of the Toronto Municipal Code. Residents can follow the commitments Chow and each councillor made during the campaign at /on/toronto-2026/tracker.
Questions this story answers
When does Toronto's new City Council take office?
Section 6 (1) of Ontario's Municipal Elections Act, 1996 starts the new four-year term on November 15, 2026. Section 27-5.1 of the Toronto Municipal Code sets the first meeting of the new City Council for the first Wednesday after that date, which is November 18, 2026.
Which councillors are new after the October 26 election?
Canada's National Observer reported on November 2 that seven new councillors were elected. They include Mike Layton (Ward 11 University-Rosedale), Chiara Padovani (Ward 5 York South-Weston), Diana Chan McNally (Ward 4 Parkdale-High Park), Nate Erskine-Smith (Ward 19 Beaches-East York) and Shaun Chen (Ward 23 Scarborough North). Layton previously served on council from 2010 to 2022 and is returning after a four-year absence.
What is the Ontario-Toronto New Deal, and when does it expire?
The Ontario-Toronto New Deal, negotiated during Mayor Chow's first term, provided about $1.2 billion in provincial operating support along with $7.6 billion in capital relief, including the provincial takeover of the Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway, according to Canada's National Observer. Chow's staff confirmed to National Observer that she is working to negotiate a second deal, as the current one expires next year.
What happened to Toronto's bike lanes, and can the new council act on them?
The provincial government finished removing bike lanes on a stretch of Bloor Street in Etobicoke on October 31 under Bill 212, its legislation restricting new bike lanes. That bill is still being challenged in court, National Observer reported. Councillor Mike Layton said he planned to look for a compromise on the lanes that have not yet been removed, but acknowledged the city is 'in a position of relative weakness compared to where Ford sits.'
What did experts say about how the new council will relate to the provincial government?
Myer Siemiatycki, professor emeritus of politics and public administration at Toronto Metropolitan University, told National Observer that Chow enters her second term with momentum and council support. He said the expiring provincial deal makes a confrontational approach risky, because Toronto remains financially dependent on provincial support. Tim Gray of Environmental Defence told National Observer that the new progressive council members would push back harder when the province tries to roll back environmental programs.
What role did Brad Bradford's departure play in the council's makeup?
Matt Elliott, a Toronto Star columnist and author of the City Hall Watcher newsletter, told National Observer that Bradford, who had led opposition to Chow on council, leaving created an 'initial power vacuum on the opposition side of council.' Elliott said Coun. James Pasternak could potentially fill that role among returning councillors who have historically been less vocal.
Where can I follow what the new council does?
Mayor Chow's campaign commitments and those of every other elected councillor and trustee are tracked at [/on/toronto-2026/tracker](/on/toronto-2026/tracker). Each person's individual promises, their status and the records behind them are linked from their candidate page at [/on/toronto-2026/results](/on/toronto-2026/results).
Where can I find the full results of the October 26 election?
The City Clerk certified the 2026 Toronto municipal election results on October 30, 2026. The full certified results, including the vote count for every candidate in every ward and school board race, are at [/on/toronto-2026/results](/on/toronto-2026/results).
Sources
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